Scout Mel Johnson returns to QPR

MEL Johnson has returned to QPR as a scout, 12 years after leaving the club.

Johnson, who was Chief Scout at QPR during Ian Holloway’s last spell at Loftus Road, is delighted to be back as scout for southern UK and Europe. “I am really excited,” he told www.qpr.co.uk.

“I didn’t want to leave, to be completely honest. We went from having eight players at the club to building a team with a great spirit, to winning promotion. It was a great time, it really was.”

Johnson was previously at QPR between 2001 and 2005, and he enjoyed great success at recruiting players who went on to become firm fans’ favourites in W12.

Johnson was involved in the recruitment of a number of R’s players, including Lee Cook, Lee Camp, Danny Shittu, Marc Bircham and Gareth Ainsworth, before leaving the club for Tottenham.

After initially working under Frank Arnesen, entrusted with the task of finding players in the UK, Johnson went on to work under Damien Comolli, before being named as Spurs’ Chief Scout in 2008.

During his time at White Hart Lane, Johnson was instrumental in the arrival of Gareth Bale, and went on to join Comolli at Liverpool, working at Anfield for four years before spells with West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers.

While he enjoyed his time with those clubs, Johnson is happy to be back in west London helping the Hoops.

“I’ve gone away, travelled around the world, and built up so many great contacts in football,” Johnson added. “My heart has always been at Rangers and I am just so excited to be back.”